Improvement in centre-boards



N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITAOGNAFMER, WASHINGTON. n c.

will.'

The slots in inner plate make it necessary to give it the shape it has in the figure, for to have it run straight along the line L N, would weaken it too much'.

Now, these projecting parts extending high up in the centre shell, when the lower plate is downLgive ad` ditional strength to the whole concern, as more surface is brought into use to bear the strain, without any considerable additional weight.

To make more use of the well than simply to regard it as a levee or dam, let strength be another consideration, and, instead of confining all the fastenings to resist pressure on the keel, let some of' that pressure be borne by the well itself yOne bolt only need be put near x and x, instead of two, as in iig. 1, and through thewell.

All along at c c', and so on, other bolts could be put, thereby giving astill greater security against the pressure of the centre-board.

The forward end H F might be extended toward B as far as H', ii 7; thence to H; from H" to T', and ample support e obtainedwith'out widening the centre-board at every point along its entire length.

The bolts, which bind the two halves of E F H K, at p', might also go entirely through the keel, like those near :t and a, and there would then be an equalnumber of slots in each part of the centre-board, the whole forming a series of centre-boards, as it were, but-work ing asone.

With slotscorresponding to bolts every three feet along the keel, 4for one hundred feet, not over three feet of the centre-board would belost in any length of it, for that space, provided the slots'are made no wider than is requisite for the easy working of the board.

In fig. 1, the higher up the bolts are placed, the more metal will remain between the ends ofthe slots, and the bottom of the plates-a veryimportant'thing, for it is there that great strength is wanted.

Near the bolt at G, the edge K H might be pared, or sloped oi, on thel inner side, to allow the extra thickness of lower edge of L M K N' to stow away.

At K the lower plate is thinnest. Y

In iig. 1, 9 represents a hole in inner plate, through which a pendant is spliced, or hooked. The end then leads directly through the upper deck, in the upper end splice-thimble, to prevent its unreeving; also to hook a tackle to, to trice up inner` plate, when down.

This purchase may be used as a deck-tackle.

When the centre-board is up, unhook purchase, and

belay the pendant. The forward part, or lower plate is now hanging by it, and by the catch s.

Through hole at 19, is a pin, around which another pendant is spliced, to be used as the-forward one, when centre-board is down. It, together with catch at s, holds it in place.

When down, itis supported by the bolts along the keel near a', or may be only by the pendants and catches.

To disengage the catch, sway a little on the pendants, shove down the rods y, and lower away.

Hatches must be made on each side of the centreboard, should the deck not bolt to thewell. There may be no necessity, however, for more than the ordinary hatehways amidships.

My centre extending the whole length of the vessel, or very nearly so, can never be thrown out of water by the pitching of the vessel, and hence there can never vbe any sudden strain upon it.

Figure llis a midship-section view, showing centre-v board when down. Figure 12 is a stern view. Figure 13, a bow View.v

In each of these figures, X is the water-line, and y,

pendant, for tricing up forward and aft.

In fig. l, when the greatest strength is required that my invention is capable of, so, far as quantity of matev rial is concerned, the first joint, or outer shell should take the shape E E, H`K,and the inner one, the shape of L M K L.

In g. l, should one bolt be required amidships in the keel, to give additional strength, it would be advisable, rather, to place two, one near O, and the other near O.

AI'n figs. 6 and 7, its shape, as indicated by the arrows, would 'leave the spare material to bev removed l around the slots amidships, which would more readily i conform to the sheer of thevessel.

J shows form 'of slots in outer shell, and J', in inner plate, from their G and k, unless material were left around therslots in L M Kl N, too much.

In figs. 9 and 10, the bolts aI pass up through keel,

keelson, and, if need be, through the sides of the well,

if its walls be thick en ough, or they can pass along the outside of said walls, and be secured to it by clamps.

b represents bolts, passing through each half of the keel, with heads on inner side, and riveted on outer side. They will take the chafe ofi the interior of the keel, if it is not lined or reinforced by metallic plates.

b are bolts, passing' entirely through keel and keelv hoard sixteen feet long, which, when down, measures Y five and ahalf feet fore and aft, and ten feet below the' Y keel. From its outer end to bottom of. well, a'distance of ten and a half feet, there is no extra support given it, and hence the strain in a heavy sea-way, and un der a heavy press of sail, becomes enormous.

This is not the vcase as to lnyinvention, which, by reason of its great length, affords as` much resistance with a very slight depression below the keel of a vessel.

Any material may be used in the construction of my improvement, but I prefer metal, for vessls of all sizes, as occupying less space than wood, and having more strength than wood, unless the size of the` vessel should be so great as to make a metallic centre-board too heavy to be handled, in which case it may be constructed of wood.

The keelV should be shod at its bottom, and lined onv its top with metal, from one end of it to the other.

VThe masts should straddle the centre-board well, as shown at figs. 8 and 10, if the greatest strength is re quired, but any proper mode of stepping them may" be adopted in' lieu of this arrangement;

By straddling the well, the masts can be made to subserve. the purpose or functions of two transverse clamps, and thus greatly strengthen the walls of the' Sule.

My centre-board is intended to be vertical, and to for the well is a. part ofthe vessel herself, yand not a secondary thing, asin all other existing cases. l

i One side of the vessel is drawn (toward the points oipressure as much as the other is forced from them. The vessel moves one solid body. Her flame may be lighter built than now, and yet she will be less liable to work.

The centre-boards now in use have but little length in proportion to their depth. The mast strains 'a vessel prodigiously, for the pressure is altogether' at one place. Moreover, the well cannot give the support that mine does. It is smaller, but more unhandy than mine. It affects the steering. of the vessel beyond control; mine does not. Y

One of the great advantages possessed by my centre-board results from its consisting of two parts, so that only half of it need to be handled at one time, commencing with either half. Should the vessel 'ground forward, amidships, or aft, the centre-board will liit and stow itself within the vessel out of harms way.

Catches may be easily adjusted, so as to retain the centre-board at any point to which it mayA be elevated. It gives increased stability and draught to a vessel fitted with it, which can hence carry any quantity of sail much longer than she could otherwise do, without corresponding weight, friction, or resistance to overcome.

The vessel will be safer, the extreme weight in her centre-board being more equally distributed,A She will roll less, drift less, steer better, be stiier under canvas, and hold a better wind. er draught can be altered at pleasure. f

If she. is dull in stays, let the after-end of the centre-board be triced up, and she will stay against any f `No ballast is Wanted, for my centre-board serves its purpose, and it can never be shifted, even if the vessel be turned bottom up. Hence there is no delay, expense, trouble, wearv and tear, to take in ballast, or to discharge the same to receive cargo.

A rudder, as shown in fig. 1,' acting ou telescopic principles, may be used in connection with my invention. It is hollow, and a joint works in it. In a word, it is to be so constructed and adjusted as, that whilst it will operate automatically, it can readily be Worked/ by hand.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The centre-hoard herein described, consisting of two distinct plates, E, F, H, K, and L, M, N,VK, when the same are constructed and united for conjoint operation, substantially as herein described for the' purpose set forth.

y BEVERLEY KEN NON. Witnesses:

WM. T. KEY, C. E. MORRIS. 

